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NREMT Practice Test Bank - Multiple
Choice
Hypoglycemia and acute ischemic stroke can present similarly because:
• A:both oxygen and glucose are needed for brain function.
• B:the majority of stroke patients have a history of diabetes.
• C:the most common cause of a stroke is hypoglycemia.
• D:they are both caused by low levels of glucose in the blood.
ANSWER: • A:both oxygen and glucose are needed for brain function.
Reason: Although stroke and hypoglycemia are two distinctly different conditions,
their signs and symptoms are often similar. This is because the brain requires both
oxygen and glucose to function normally. An acute ischemic stroke is caused by a
lack of oxygen to a part of the brain due to a blocked cerebral artery, whereas
hypoglycemia (low blood glucose level) deprives the entire brain of glucose. In
either case, the patient presents with signs of impaired brain function (ie, slurred
speech, weakness, altered mental status). Both conditions may lead to permanent
brain damage or death if not treated promptly.
When dealing with an emotionally disturbed patient, you should be MOST
concerned with:
• A:gathering all of the patient's medications.
• B:safely transporting to the hospital.
• C:whether the patient could harm you.
• D:obtaining a complete medical history.
ANSWER: You selected C; This is correct!
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Reason: When managing any patient with an emotional or psychiatric crisis, your
primary concern is your own safety. Safely transporting the patient to the hospital
is your ultimate goal. If possible, you should attempt to obtain a medical history
and should take any of the patient's prescribed medications to the hospital.
However, this should not supercede your own safety or interfere with safely
transporting the patient.
You are at the scene where a man panicked while swimming in a small lake.
Your initial attempt to rescue him should include:
• A:rowing a small raft to the victim.
• B:reaching for the victim with a long stick.
• C:throwing a rope to the victim.
• D:swimming to the victim to rescue him.
ANSWER: You selected B; This is correct!
Reason: General rules to follow when attempting to rescue a patient from the
water include "reach, throw, row, and then go." In this case, you should attempt to
reach the victim by having him grab hold of a large stick or similar object. If this is
unsuccessful, throw the victim a rope or flotation device (if available). If these are
not available, row to the patient in a small raft (if available). Going into the water
to retrieve the victim is a last resort. The rescuer must be a strong swimmer
because patients who are in danger of drowning are in a state of blind panic and
will make every attempt to keep themselves afloat, even if it means forcing the
rescuer underwater.
How should you classify a patient's nature of illness if he or she has a low
blood glucose level, bizarre behavior, and shallow breathing?
• A:Behavioral emergency
• B:Altered mental status
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• C:Respiratory emergency
• D:Cardiac compromise
ANSWER: The correct answer is B;
Reason: The nature of illness (NOI) is the medical equivalent to mechanism of
injury (MOI). Altered mental status should be the suspected NOI in any patient
with any fluctuation in level of consciousness, which can range from bizarre
behavior to complete unresponsiveness. Causes of an altered mental status include
hypo- or hyperglycemia, head trauma, stroke, behavioral crises, drug overdose, and
shock, among others.
A young female is unresponsive after overdosing on an unknown type of drug.
Her respirations are slow and shallow and her pulse is slow and weak. Which
of the following drugs is the LEAST likely cause of her condition?
• A:Seconal
• B:Heroin
• C:Cocaine
• D:Valium
ANSWER: The correct answer is C;
Reason: Of the drugs listed, cocaine would be the least likely cause of the patient's
condition. Cocaine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant; you would expect
her to be hypertensive, tachycardic, tachypneic, and perhaps even violent. Heroin,
Valium, and Seconal are all CNS depressants and could explain her condition.
Heroin is an illegal narcotic (opiate), Valium is a benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic
drug, and Seconal is a barbiturate. Narcotics, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates are
all CNS depressants. When taken in excess, they cause a decreased level of
consciousness, respiratory depression, bradycardia, and hypotension.
Activated charcoal is contraindicated for a patient who is:
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• A:conscious and alert and has ingested a large amount of Motrin.
• B:emotionally upset and has ingested two bottles of aspirin.
• C:agitated and claims to have ingested a bottle of Tylenol.
• D:awake and alert and has swallowed a commercial drain cleaner.
ANSWER: You selected D; This is correct!
Reason: Activated charcoal adsorbs (sticks to) many ingested substances,
preventing them from being absorbed into the body by the stomach or intestines. In
some cases, you may give activated charcoal to patients who have ingested certain
substances, if approved by medical control or local protocol. Activated charcoal is
contraindicated for patients who have ingested an acid or alkali (ie, drain cleaner)
or a petroleum product (ie, gasoline), who have a decreased level of consciousness
and cannot protect their own airway, or who are unable to swallow.
The MOST obvious way to reduce heat loss from radiation and convection is
to:
• A:move away from a cold object.
• B:increase metabolism by shivering.
• C:wear a thick wind-proof jacket.
• D:move to a warmer environment.
ANSWER: you selected D; This is correct!
Reason: In a cold environment, the body has two ways of staying warm:
generating heat (thermogenesis) and reducing heat loss. Radiation is the transfer of
heat by radiant energy. The body can lose heat by radiation, such as when a person
stands in a cold room. Convection occurs when heat is transferred to circulating
air, as when cool air moves across the body's surface. A person standing in windy
cold weather, wearing lightweight clothing, is losing heat to the environment
mostly by convection. The quickest and most obvious way to decrease heat loss
from radiation and convection is to move out of the cold environment and seek
NREMT Practice Test Bank - Multiple
Choice
Hypoglycemia and acute ischemic stroke can present similarly because:
• A:both oxygen and glucose are needed for brain function.
• B:the majority of stroke patients have a history of diabetes.
• C:the most common cause of a stroke is hypoglycemia.
• D:they are both caused by low levels of glucose in the blood.
ANSWER: • A:both oxygen and glucose are needed for brain function.
Reason: Although stroke and hypoglycemia are two distinctly different conditions,
their signs and symptoms are often similar. This is because the brain requires both
oxygen and glucose to function normally. An acute ischemic stroke is caused by a
lack of oxygen to a part of the brain due to a blocked cerebral artery, whereas
hypoglycemia (low blood glucose level) deprives the entire brain of glucose. In
either case, the patient presents with signs of impaired brain function (ie, slurred
speech, weakness, altered mental status). Both conditions may lead to permanent
brain damage or death if not treated promptly.
When dealing with an emotionally disturbed patient, you should be MOST
concerned with:
• A:gathering all of the patient's medications.
• B:safely transporting to the hospital.
• C:whether the patient could harm you.
• D:obtaining a complete medical history.
ANSWER: You selected C; This is correct!
,2|Page
Reason: When managing any patient with an emotional or psychiatric crisis, your
primary concern is your own safety. Safely transporting the patient to the hospital
is your ultimate goal. If possible, you should attempt to obtain a medical history
and should take any of the patient's prescribed medications to the hospital.
However, this should not supercede your own safety or interfere with safely
transporting the patient.
You are at the scene where a man panicked while swimming in a small lake.
Your initial attempt to rescue him should include:
• A:rowing a small raft to the victim.
• B:reaching for the victim with a long stick.
• C:throwing a rope to the victim.
• D:swimming to the victim to rescue him.
ANSWER: You selected B; This is correct!
Reason: General rules to follow when attempting to rescue a patient from the
water include "reach, throw, row, and then go." In this case, you should attempt to
reach the victim by having him grab hold of a large stick or similar object. If this is
unsuccessful, throw the victim a rope or flotation device (if available). If these are
not available, row to the patient in a small raft (if available). Going into the water
to retrieve the victim is a last resort. The rescuer must be a strong swimmer
because patients who are in danger of drowning are in a state of blind panic and
will make every attempt to keep themselves afloat, even if it means forcing the
rescuer underwater.
How should you classify a patient's nature of illness if he or she has a low
blood glucose level, bizarre behavior, and shallow breathing?
• A:Behavioral emergency
• B:Altered mental status
,3|Page
• C:Respiratory emergency
• D:Cardiac compromise
ANSWER: The correct answer is B;
Reason: The nature of illness (NOI) is the medical equivalent to mechanism of
injury (MOI). Altered mental status should be the suspected NOI in any patient
with any fluctuation in level of consciousness, which can range from bizarre
behavior to complete unresponsiveness. Causes of an altered mental status include
hypo- or hyperglycemia, head trauma, stroke, behavioral crises, drug overdose, and
shock, among others.
A young female is unresponsive after overdosing on an unknown type of drug.
Her respirations are slow and shallow and her pulse is slow and weak. Which
of the following drugs is the LEAST likely cause of her condition?
• A:Seconal
• B:Heroin
• C:Cocaine
• D:Valium
ANSWER: The correct answer is C;
Reason: Of the drugs listed, cocaine would be the least likely cause of the patient's
condition. Cocaine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant; you would expect
her to be hypertensive, tachycardic, tachypneic, and perhaps even violent. Heroin,
Valium, and Seconal are all CNS depressants and could explain her condition.
Heroin is an illegal narcotic (opiate), Valium is a benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic
drug, and Seconal is a barbiturate. Narcotics, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates are
all CNS depressants. When taken in excess, they cause a decreased level of
consciousness, respiratory depression, bradycardia, and hypotension.
Activated charcoal is contraindicated for a patient who is:
, 4|Page
• A:conscious and alert and has ingested a large amount of Motrin.
• B:emotionally upset and has ingested two bottles of aspirin.
• C:agitated and claims to have ingested a bottle of Tylenol.
• D:awake and alert and has swallowed a commercial drain cleaner.
ANSWER: You selected D; This is correct!
Reason: Activated charcoal adsorbs (sticks to) many ingested substances,
preventing them from being absorbed into the body by the stomach or intestines. In
some cases, you may give activated charcoal to patients who have ingested certain
substances, if approved by medical control or local protocol. Activated charcoal is
contraindicated for patients who have ingested an acid or alkali (ie, drain cleaner)
or a petroleum product (ie, gasoline), who have a decreased level of consciousness
and cannot protect their own airway, or who are unable to swallow.
The MOST obvious way to reduce heat loss from radiation and convection is
to:
• A:move away from a cold object.
• B:increase metabolism by shivering.
• C:wear a thick wind-proof jacket.
• D:move to a warmer environment.
ANSWER: you selected D; This is correct!
Reason: In a cold environment, the body has two ways of staying warm:
generating heat (thermogenesis) and reducing heat loss. Radiation is the transfer of
heat by radiant energy. The body can lose heat by radiation, such as when a person
stands in a cold room. Convection occurs when heat is transferred to circulating
air, as when cool air moves across the body's surface. A person standing in windy
cold weather, wearing lightweight clothing, is losing heat to the environment
mostly by convection. The quickest and most obvious way to decrease heat loss
from radiation and convection is to move out of the cold environment and seek
